Reciprocating yarn carrier



1951 R. E. SCHLETTER" RECIPROCATING YARN CARRIER Oct. 9,

Filed Oc t. v. 1947 INVENTOR 1? ich a khlefier or outer ends.

Patented Oct. 9, 1951 to Textile Machine Works, corporation of Pennsylvania Wyomissing, Pa., a

Application October 7, 1947, Serial No. 77 8,515

Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in yarn carrier means of the reciprocatory type and more especially to those suited for use in full-fashioned knitting machines.

As is well known, the yarn carriers in fullfashioned knitting machines are positioned so as to be reciprocated in a straight line across a bank .of needles. In such arrangement each of the carriers is mounted upon separate bars or rods, one above the other, and in order to bring the outer ends thereof into approximately the same plane, the carrier bodies are bent to various angles. Such yarn carriers with which this invention is concerned are designed so that the yarn runs along their upper faces, into grooves in the carrier face adjacent its bend, and to'and through guide tubes at their lower As the openings through the guide tubes are approximately in the centers of the delivery ends of the yarn carriers, the

grooves in the upper surfaces of lower ends of the arms are customarily aligned therewith so .that yarn may enter the tubes along the axes thereof. As there may be as many as nine carriers'for each knitting section operating to de- ;1.

liver yarn in the limited space between the sinker-head cap member and the needles, all the carriers have the lower ends thereof bent to conform to the front edge of said cap member with the carriers closest to the cap member having the greatest degree of bend. The carriers having the greatest degree of bend are usually the main carriers and" are-therefore used more extensively than the carriers having the least degree of bend. Further, in the carriers'having thegreate'st degree of bend the grooves cannot be made sufilciently deep,'and hence the yarn bears-on the bottom surface of the groove at the bend in the carrier in passing to the guide tube.

The yarn carriers are also provided with replacement guide tubes which may be readily removed when worn by withdrawing them upwardly from the boresin the lower ends of the carriers, the removal of su h tubes being facilitated by the grooves in the carriers.

It has been observed that a y'arn'carrier of the type described above shows an undesirable rate of wear with consequent, roughening thereof and damage to the yarn, causing press-offs. The causes of this trouble lie largely in a form .of synthetic yarn of the linear condensation polyamide group, so-called nylon, which has come into extensive use comparatively recently, and which in'many ins an es has an abrasive action not being essentially important but assumed to be due to the type of sizing material applied to the yarn by the throwsters.

With this type yarn, although the carrier arms are usuallyfabricated from cold rolled steel, the grooved portions of the main carriers, or those having the greatest degree of bend, receive excessive wear in a very short time and the remaining material at the bend in the carrier is cut or worn through. With the carrier cut through the slightest defect or projection on the yarn snags itself in the cut consequently tearing the yarn and causing the fabric to be pressed-off. 1

It is an object of'the invention to provide means associated with a reciprccatory yarn carrier whereby roughening of or cutting through the grooved portion of the arms of the'yarn carriers by the yarn is prevented but without detracting from the efiiciency of the carrier.

It is another object of theinvention to provide the yarn carrier of a knitting machine with means for covering a portion of thegroove in the carrier and which also acts to guide the yarn into the guide tube in the carrier.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means associated with a reciprocatory yarn carrier whereby roughening of the upper surfaces of the arms of the yarn carriers by yarn is prevented but without detracting from the efficiency of the carrier, the means however-permitting a yarn guide tube to be removed upwardly from the lower end of the carrier arm. 7

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and combinations of parts in cooperative relationship as more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a yarn carrier within the invention mounted in a fullfashioned knitting machine together with fragments of the bar for supporting the carrier and of the knitting mechanism associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of an element shown in Fig. 1;

, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on a vertical plane at right angles to the axis of the bar supporting the carrier shown in Fig. 1 but on a considerably enlarged scale compared to Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the element shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawing and description, only the means necessary to a complete understanding of the invention are specifically set forth; further information as to the construction and operation of other related, usual and well known knitting machine elements, mechanisms, etc., may be found in one or more of the following publications:

1. Pamphlet entitled-Full-Fashioned Knitting Machines-published and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1920.

2. Four catalogs entitled-The"fReadingKFuH- Fashioned Knitting Machine Parts Catalogpublished and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, in 1929, 1935, 1940 and 1947, respectively.

8. Booklet entitled'I'he Reading High Production Full-Fashioned Knitting Mac'hine which, forming a supplement to the above noted 1940 parts catalog of the Textile Machine Works is a publication of the Textile Machine Works, copyrighted by the latter in 1940.

4. Pamphlet entitled-Knitting Machine Lectures-published by the Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyom'issing. Pennsylvania, in 1935.

The arrangement within the invention shown in the drawing is one designed for a full-fashioned knitting machine and comprises a yarn carrier rod or bar to which is fixed a yarn carrier having a p ate or holder fixed directly to the bar and having an extension acting as an arm wh ch supports a yarn guide or delivery tube. by which the yarn is delivered to knitting or loop forming el ments of the machine. It will be understood that such a bar extends along 7 nearly the full length of the machine and has ya n carri rs thereon, one for each knitting section, and that a full-fa hioned knitting machine may have as many as thirty or more knitting sections. When the machine is designed to use nine yarns, there are nine carried rods arranged in a group and reciprocated when desired by connecting them to friction boxes on a friction box r d orrning part of a coul r mechanism ada ted to reciprocate the frict on box rod during knitting operations of the machine. All the yarn carriers of a machine are secured to the yarn carrier rods in the same general way and the construction of all the yarn carriers of a machine is generally the same, with the exception of the angles at which the carriers are bent to approach the loop forming elements. Therefore, only one ca rier rod and yarn carrier is shown and described, the so-called No. 1 yarn carrier and rod. this yarn carrier being the main yarn carrier having the greatest degree of bend with respect to the loo forming elements.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a portion of a carrier rod indicated at In extends parallel to the knitting sections and carries a yarn carrier l2 for each of said knitting sections. The yarn carrier I2 is secured to the carrier rod Ill and extends forwardly and downwardly "to a position above a portion of the knitting or loop forming mechanism of the machine. Said mechanism comprises a sinker-head I4 for each knitting section of the machine and the sinker-head includes a base member I 5 and a cap member l6, both having slots or tricks therein for guiding sinkers l8 and dividers I9 by which the yarn is kinked around the stems or needles 2| during the formation of loops. Needles 2| are shown as having beards 22 for engaging the yarn to draw the new loops through the old ones to form new courses. At the time the yarn i laid by the yarn carriers, the needles are at the highest points in their paths, as shown in Fig. 1, and form- :a recess with the sinker-head into which the yarn carrier must project so that the yarn may be caught by the throats 24 at the forward ends of the sinkers and dividers at the times the sinkers rand dividers are to kink the yarn. In the lower end of the carrier is a yarn guide or delivery tube 25, the lower end of which is at a level such that yarn delivered thereby is caught 'by the upper edges of the throats of the sinkers.

The illustrated carrier [2 is removably secured by a holder or plate member 28 to bar ID by 'means of screws 30 and may be assumed to be the main carrier having the greatest degree of bend. The yarn carrier shown is composed of an elongated member or arm :32 having a main portion adapted for mounting upon the holder 28 and a portion at its lower :end lying at an angle to the main portion and arranged to position the yarn guide tube properly with respect to the loop forming elements. Means, comprising screws 34 and suitably apertur'ed portions of the holder '28 and arm 32, are utilized to disconneetably attach said arm to the holder. A combined eyelet washer plate 36 is assembled upon the top of the arm by the screws 34. Just beyond the upper edge of the sinker-head .cap l6, arm 32 bends downwardly, as at '33, to lie parallel to the front 'face of cap member 13, the resulting inclination of the portion of arm 32 below bend 33 being best shown in Fig. 3. The portion of arm 32 below bend 3.3 has a longitudinally b'isecting' bore, therein to mount the yarn guide tube 26 at the lower end of the arm. Tube 26 is so positioned that it extends beow the upper edges of sinkers I8. "The dividers I9, however, are notched at their forward ends so that the carrier can be "brought to .a stop in the vertical plane of any of the dividers and the sinkers and dividers brought forward without danger of interfering with the tube 28 when it is necessary for the sinkers and dividers to be brought forward either for kinking the yarn between the needles or, at 'a later "point in the cycle, to strip the loops down on the needles in the usual manner. 7

The tube 25 is shown as of the readily replace- ;able type, although the invention is not limited to this, it having been .the .common practise for a long period to solder the yarn guide or delivery tubes in bores in the ends of the carrier arms. As shown in Fig. 3, the tube 26 has an enlarged head 40' a portion of which extends through an aperture in the arm 32 to maintain the tube'in position in the arm. A band type spring 42 is provided which lies in a groove extending across the front of arm 32 and around'the edges or the arm to the rear thereof where the ends of the spring are held in recesses permitting a limited movement of the band whereby the head =41) may be released from engagement with the arm when it is desired to remove the tube from the arm for replacement.

A knitting yarn 43 is shown as passing alongthe top of' the carrier [2 and as being guided in a known way in holes in turned up portions 44 on plate 28 and in holes in turned up ends 45 on washer plate 36 before reaching the upper or i take, a d Qithe bore in tube 26. It has been customary to form a groove 46 in: the arm 32 as shown in Fig. 3, for guiding the yarn smoothly into the mouth of the yarn delivery tube-positioned at the lower end of said arm. Now that readily replaceable tubesof the type of tube 26 are in use, the groove 46 is also necessary in that it facilitates removal of tubes which cannot be drawn downwardly through the end of arm 32 and which' must therefore be inserted and removed through the groove.

It is in connection with the groove 46 that the difiiculty of roughening has occurred. Heretofore, the yarn has passed through a portion of the groove, over the bottom of the groove at the bend in the arm 32 and into the tube 26, and where the carrier was employed as the -main carrier there was always some wear at the bottom of the groove. However, with the comparatively new developments in syntheticryarns, such as nylon, and particularly the finer size yarns of this type, and with the type of sizing used on these yarns, the continuous rubbing of the yarn over the bend portion of the carrier wears or cuts a groove entirely through the carrier in a very short time. In accordance with the invention, means is provided whereby the yarn is prevented from entering any but a portion of the groove 46 and is prevented from contacting any portion of the bottom surface of the groove 46. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the preferred means, whereby the surface of 'the groove 46 is protected against abrasion, is a flat plate 50 fixed to lie above most of the groove 46. As shown, plate'ill is attached to the carrier 12 by clamping-the plate between the under face of holder '28 and the upper face of arm 32. To this end, plate 56 is shown as having parallel open ended slots 52 (Fig; 2) whereby'the plate 50 may be attached to the carrier by loosening screws 34, inserting the plate 50- between' holder 28 and the upper end of arm 32 and then tightening the screws again. The slots 52 permit adjustment of the plate 56 according to the degree of bend in the lower end of the carrier, as it is desirable that the yarn follow a path directly'into the tube 26 without engaging any part of the bottom surface of the groove 46.

It will be seen that the plate 50 in its position on the guide arm 32 destroyswhatever function groove 46 may have had in directing the yarn to the guide tube 26. In order to guide the yarn to the tube 26 directly in the line of the bore of the tube, and at the same time prevent as far as possible any mutually abrading action between the yarn and the end of plate 50, the plate 50 has its end portion 55 bent to engage the upper face of arm 32. Further, the plate 56 is so adjusted with respect to arm 32 that the portion 55 of plate 56 forms a straight line with the bore of the tube 26. Therefore, the bend 55 provides a delivery surface causing the yarn 43 to enter the bore of tube '26 without substantial contact with any portion of groove 46. Also, the plate 50 provides a discharge surface for delivering yarn to the tube 26 which is smooth in that it is not only free from roughness but is without any sharp edge which might abradethe yarn. As is clear from Fig. l, the open portion of groove 46 between the end of plate 50 and the tube 26 is sufllciently wide to ensure that the whipping action of the yarn will cause only a slight contact, if any, between it and the arm 32.

When the tube 26 is to be replaced, the tube must be withdrawn from arm 32 upwardly through the lower portion of groove 46 and through a path partially covered by plate 56. Therefore, plate 50 is preferably made of a resillent material, such as spring steel'or the like. to

permit the plate to be bent upwardly away from construction, the assembly of the same with the carrier is of such simplicity that one plate can be substituted for another with very little trouble.

While the plate 50 operates with the most satisfactory results and is the preferred form of the invention, with the use of low twist multi-iilament synthetic yarns it may be desirable to pro-' vide guide means on the plate 'to prevent the loosely twisted filaments from side-whipping b'eyond the edges of the plate. For this purpose, as shown in Fig. 4, a plate 60 may be provided having one or more yarn guide rings 6| thereon but otherwise having the same structure as plate 50.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above desired results may be obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A reciprocator yarn carrier having an arm lengthwise of which the yarn passes, a guide tube carried at one end of said arm through which yarn is delivered to a knitting means, said arm having a groove in its upper surface extending from the intake end of said tube, and a member lying generally parallel to said arm above said groove and along which the yarn passes, said member having at its lower end a portion pro viding a smooth, relatively flat, transverse discharge surface for the yarn, whereby yarn passing along said member is guided from its said lower end directly into said tube.

2. A reciprocatory yarn carrier having an in clined arm lengthwise of which the yarn passes, a guide tube carried at one end of said arm through which yarn is delivered to a knitting means, said arm having a groove in its upper surface extending from the intake end of said tube, and a hardened plate member lying generally parallel to said arm above said groove and along which the yarnpasses said plate having a portion providing a relatively wide, flat, smooth discharge surface for the yarn adapted to guide the yarn above the surface of the carrier groove and direcly into said tube.

3. A reciprocatory yarn carrier having an inclined arm bent downwardly at its lower end, a guide tube carried at the lower end of the arm through which yarn is delivered to loop forming elements of a knitting machine, said arm having a groove in its upper surface extending from the upper end of said tube beyond the bend therein, and a member lying above said arm and along the upper surface of which the yarn passes and having its upper surface flat from side-to-side but curved downwardly at its lower end and so positioned and arranged with respect to the bend in said arm that the yarn follows a straight line extending from the lower end of the curve of the upper surface of the member into the mouth of said tube without touching the surface of the arm.

4. A reciprocatory yarn carrier having an inagraapz annranct a on the u p rsurface at. hich the remp ses and having' s upper. surf e fia fr Sidfir-ZO-Sidfl but curved downwardly at its lower end and so positioned and arranged with respect to-the bend in saidarm that a straight line from, the lower end of the upper surfaceof the member midway of; its side edges passes into the mouth of said: tube without touching the surface of the arm.

5. A reciprocatory yarn carrier having an inclined arm, a replaceable guide tube carried at the lower end, of said arm through, which yarn is delivered to loop forming elements of a knitting machine, said arm having a groove in its upper surface extending upward from the upper end of said tube,and a thin resilient plate member lying above, said arm and having its upper surface fiat from side-to-side and normally so positioned and arranged with respect to said tube that a straight line from a point near the lower end of said member passes into the mouth of said tube without substantially touching the surface of the arm, said plate member adapted to yield upwardly to permit the tube to be removed from the arm,

6. A reciprocatory yarn carrier having an inelined arm bent downwardly at its lower end, a replaceable guide tube carried at the lower end of said arm through which yarn is delivered to loop forming elements of a knitting machine, said arm having a groove in its upper surface extending upward from the upper end of said tube, and a hardened thin resilient plate member extending substantially parallel with the upper surface of said arm and so positioned with respect to the bend in said am that a straight line from the upper surface of the member passes into the mouth of said tube without substantially touching the surface of the arm, said plate member adapted to yield upwardly to permit the tube to a providing a smooth support for the yarn extending transverse to the groove and between the gr ov th rpath.-.ot be s t, ed to and th ou h. sa d ube: to. s d-, oo -fo mi sfle e= ments. I 8'; A reciprocating y m car ier having a roo e in itsuppersurface and having a, recess at its lower .end adapted, to, hold a guide tube tor de livering yarn to loop forming elementsof aknitting machine and having a groove in its upper surface extending upwardly from the upper end of said recess, and a guard member extending across said groove and having its upper surface so positioned andarranged that yam undertension passes from the uppersurface of said; guard member into: themouthof the, yarn-delivery tube withouttouching the surface of the carrier, said guard member placed to permit read -removal of the yarn tube in normal position of the guard member,.

9; A carrier for. feeding yarn to theloopform-v ing elements of, aknitting machine having are: placeable yarn guide tube and having a groove through a portion of whichthe guide tube is moved to remove and replace the tube in the carrier, and a normally raised surfacemember extending transverselyacross s a-idgroove, said mem r,- ei g positio ed t dischar e, ya n d e r n o t e ntake and of said; tube lo e a line missing; th surfac of. t e groove whileis pporting the varnfer r es o wh pping aeLi to p nts eyo h edg s e r ov asi isfed to aid ube on t.s.-'war to sai l p fo m e em ntsz 10: A a-rri n-io.-szf;eed ns yam o theloon f rm ing elements ofa knitting machine; said carrier including a main; portion andan end portion 1ying at an angle; to the main portion, a yarn guide tube carried said end: portion, a: groove extending longitudinallyof said carrier, and means positioned to underlie the yarn and bridge-the groove substantially at the juncture of said main and end portions: to elevate the-yarn above the bogtomz. of the' roeve and; to direct it into said tu e. I

ERNST SCHLE'I'IER';

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record inthe file of this patent:

v UNITE P TENTS. Number Name 1 Date 2,092,619 Gastrich .Sept. 7,193? 2,250,158 Feustel July 22, 1941 

